An effective static control system for the protection of materials subject to damage by static electricity, such as electronic components must encompass the entire area wherein the electronic components may be subject to static charge, that is, from the manufacturing facility or from receiving through field service areas. Static electricity is generated by triboelectric charging, that is, the rubbing or movement of one material against another. Floor surfaces, particularly in the manufacturing area, are subject to such charge generation by virtue of the movement of material and people handling equipment including hand carts, pallets, trucks and trays, as well as in the assembly areas and shipping areas. Often little attention is given to the electrostatic discharge control of the floor or surface area which is adjacent to the static-controlled work station. Often an assumption is made that a worker will always be grounded with a wrist strap and, therefore, a grounded floor surface area is unnecessary. However, supervisors and nonworking station personnel and next-shift workers and others may interact with others at an electrically-static discharge-safe work area without the proper wrist wrap or other grounding. In addition, objects moved across the floor surfaces, such as carts, can generate substantial static charges and typically have no means for the electrostatic charge to dissipate. Conventional floor surfaces and floor finishes do not prevent charge generation or provide a means for charge dissipation or removal.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a surface composition particularly for use as a floor composition in static control areas so as to obtain a floor surface with the ability to discharge a static charge rapidly, a low propensity to generate a charge by movement across the floor, and yet provide a clean, high-gloss, hard surface with durability for foot traffic.